Ericsson announced today that it is collaborating with Intel to ensure that Ericsson's Mobile Broadband Modules are interoperable with Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection Technology for notebooks to offer a secure and reliable anti-theft solution for mobile broadband users. The collaboration addresses solutions to minimize the negative consequences when notebooks are lost or stolen, and in conjunction independent encryption software when sensitive data is lost while on-the-go and to prevent unwanted data intrusion.

The need for taking the profit out of stealing laptops and protecting sensitive and important information continues to grow with the increased popularity of mobile broadband notebooks. Theft or loss of notebooks can have enormous financial consequences for both consumers and enterprise users, especially when sensitive data on the notebook is lost or obtained by unauthorized persons.

Through this collaboration between Ericsson and Intel, a theft management service residing in the network can send a message via SMS to the mobile broadband module inside the notebook, which securely transfers the message to Intel's Anti-Theft function inside the processor platform, which takes appropriate actions, such as completely locking the computer, making it unusable. When the notebook is located and recovered, an unlock message can be sent to the notebook that makes the data accessible again.

Mats Norin, Vice President and head of Mobile Broadband Modules at Ericsson said: "We share a common vision with Intel about offering consumers and enterprise users a secure mobile broadband experience for their notebooks. We are committed to work with industry leaders to shape a complete, end-to-end solution to drive increased mobile broadband adoption."

"We have entered a new era for security for the on-the-go businessperson in which losing a notebook or having it stolen can have disastrous implications," said George Thangadurai, director of Intel's Strategy and Platform Planning Group, and general manager of the company's Anti-Theft Program. "Intel's Anti-Theft PC Protection technology takes notebook security to a new level, making notebook theft for profit an exercise in futility and with third-party software help secure data. By teaming with Ericsson, we are extending the benefits of Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection to those who use mobile broadband networks."

The solution builds on Ericsson's Mobile Broadband Modules, which are tightly integrated in and optimized for notebooks, and Intel's Anti-Theft PC Protection technology, which can lock a stolen or lost notebook. Intel Anti-Theft Technology provides an intelligent mechanism built into the processor platform that detects potential theft situations and responds according to IT policies. Anti-Theft PC Protection technology can be programmed to respond to repeated login failures and expiration of a timer that requires regularly scheduled connection to a central server.

When a loss or theft is detected, Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection technology can lock the laptop, rendering it useless, by blocking the boot process, and when working in conjunction with third-party encryption hardware or software can protect data by deleting cryptographic keys or similar essential code for decryption.

The theft management service can also take advantage of built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) technology in the Ericsson mobile broadband module, which can send location data to a central server. The location function can be utilized to determine a theft situation when the notebook is moved outside a pre-defined area -- a so called geo-fence to locate a lost notebook.

Ericsson Mobile Broadband Modules are already optimized with Intel Centrino 2 processor technology to achieve excellent battery life and will in addition be validated to guarantee the interworking with Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection Technology. The solution will be available in commercial data protection products starting second half of 2009.

Ericsson Mobile Broadband Modules support HSPA -- the world's most widely commercially deployed technology for mobile broadband, and provides the end user with a simple, cost effective and convenient solution for broadband access while on-the-go.

Seems like the Australian Department of Education will be eyeing these devices in the DET Custom laptops we'll get next year... nice. As well as hardware locking this will make the laptops completely worthless for theives.

However, they need to make sure that it would render the laptop unable to function if removed/damaged.

Heres an idea to all laptop theves, take it out! Or if they are too dumb for that (which most probably are) then they are obviously going to take it to a shop who will do it for them. This technology is seriously floored. A stolen phone gets its IMEI number blocked which is very difficult (not impossible with most phones) to change. Maybe intergrating this into the motherboard would be a better idea. That way its not worth anyones while to change it since the board will probably end up costing more than any seccond hand laptop on the black market. c'mon people! You can do better than that!

"all the members of parliament" ? How many times EXACTLY has that happend? Why should they have any secrets anyway? If MPs are working for US the general public and are hides infomation from US do you think that is right? Nothing personal against you I just dont like the way the system works, besides everybody knows the guvornment is involved more illigal activity than all of the criminals in jail put together! There is a handful of honest MPs in parliament and the rest are not even worth the expensive suits they walk around in.

"all the members of parliament" ? How many times EXACTLY has that happend? Why should they have any secrets anyway? If MPs are working for US the general public and are hides infomation from US do you think that is right? Nothing personal against you I just dont like the way the system works, besides everybody knows the guvornment is involved more illigal activity than all of the criminals in jail put together! There is a handful of honest MPs in parliament and the rest are not even worth the expensive suits they walk around in.

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Im guessing that approx. 5 or so PM's in the last few years have left sensitive documents in public places? One recently was with a laptop on a train, not sure about the rest.